Thursday, May 26, 2011

Get up or Give up

Michael Jordan played basketball for Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ironically, Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a sophomore. I bet the players of the varsity team might have judged Jordan just a bit. Thoughts of “why” probably interred into Michael's mind. He had to make a decision, to give up and let the event get the best of him or to get up and move on. Jordan once said, "Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I'd close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it, and that usually got me going again."


I often wonder if he had some kind of an idea that he was going to be such a fantastic player. Six-time NBA champion, 10-time All-NBA first team,  nine-time All-Defensive first team, 14-time All-Star; All-Star MVP, one of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and last but not least...an Olympic gold medalist.

We cannot let ourselves become discouraged if we fail a time or two. The best athletes in the world all seem to have some common traits:

1) They practice long and hard. Tiger Woods, an American all star golfer, come to Arizona to play in a tournament. After a full day of golfing he would head on over to the practice green and there he would begin a practice session. It's no wonder he's ranked #1 in the world.

2) They never give up. Would Michael Jordan have become a 14-time All-Star by quitting when he was in high school...obviously not!  

Each and every person has a chance to become "great". We all have our own talents and they are to be used! Our potential is to become like our Father in Heaven. A big task.  Perfection is our goal. To follow Jesus Christ takes lots of practice. Sometimes we fail to progress. Like Michael, we fail to make the team, but through perseverance we can regain our spot. When we fall down we must get up and keep trying. If we continue on this course we will become "great".

It is my witness that we can become amazing. When we read our scriptures, go to church, and live as Christ teaches us, we are as the greatest people in the world.    

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